Ohio State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences

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Every day, the majority of us interact with a touch screen. Whether you are pumping gas, using a bank ATM, checking into your flight at the airport, paying your bill at the grocery store, or ordering food, chances are you are using a digital touchscreen. Those touch screen surfaces are a hotspot for bacteria.

Recent studies indicate that much of the bacteria found on them originate from people’s mouths, throat, gut, intestines and feces. Yikes! Personal cell phones and tablets are almost as bad; even though for the most part those two items aren’t touched by strangers.

Some of the major bacteria found on public touchscreens include:

Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) — This strain of bacteria comes from the flora in our gastrointestinal tracts and may originate after contact with surfaces in hospitals. An E. faecalis infection can cause fever, fatigue, headache, chills, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to meningitis or urinary tract infections. If it is present on a touch screen (or elevator button), it is most likely due to someone not washing their hands after using the restroom.

Staphylococcus — “staph.” Staph is found on the skin and noses of 25 percent of the population and typically does not cause disease in the person who carries it. If it gets into an open wound or is ingested, staph can cause blood poisoning, pneumonia, toxic shock syndrome, skin infections, and food poisoning.

Listeria – a foodborne, disease-causing bacteria that is often the source of food poisoning outbreaks. If left untreated, it can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

The majority of bacteria found on public touch screens are contagious. While anyone can develop an infection, those with weakened immune systems are most at risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The best defense is to wash your hands frequently. Touchscreens should be sanitized daily. Wash your hands as soon as possible if you have to touch screens or surfaces commonly touched by a lot of other people. Regular soap and water (not antibacterial) is the best choice, but if not available a hand sanitizer will work. Protect yourself and wash your hands frequently, especially before eating.

Probably nothing upsets parents more on a daily basis than the constant bickering and fighting that goes on between children within the family. Sibling rivalry, a common issue faced by most parents, has been around as long as there have been brothers and sisters. As upsetting as it may be, some sibling rivalry and conflict can be beneficial. It gives children their first experience in learning how to interact and get along with others. A child who has siblings is taught how to see another individual’s point of view, how to settle disputes, how to compromise and how to show affection and not hold a grudge.

Even though there is a positive side to quarrels among siblings, there are also times when parents need to intervene. The following information can give you some guidelines about what might be an appropriate stance to take about when and how to intervene.

Stay out of it – If there is normal bickering, minor name calling, then the parent’s role is to stay out of it, and let them settle the disagreement on their own.

Firmly stop the interaction, review rules, and help with conflict resolution. – If the potential for danger is more serious.

Firmly stop the children and separate them. – if it becomes a dangerous situation. One in which physical or emotional harm is about to or has occurred. If a child is hurt, attend to that child first, review the rules, and possibly impose a consequence.

One way to manage sibling rivalry between your children is to establish family rules in your home. Having rules in place is a way to communicate your family values and forces you to think in advance about what behavior is important to you and what you want to enforce. These rules need to be enforced with predictable consequences. Don’t ignore the rules or make exceptions when you feel tired. C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital shares more parenting resources on handling sibling rivalry.

It is also important to remember that you are your child’s first teacher. Modeling cooperative behavior, gives your child an example of how to handle frustrations and resolve conflict. These tips can help decrease the amount of sibling quarrels in your home. There is nothing better than harmony.

February is American Heart Month sponsored by The American Heart Association. It is no surprise that heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. What may surprise a few, is that it’s the number one killer in women, claiming nearly 500,000 lives. Most people believed that it affects more men so many women did not pay much attention to the disease. National Wear Red Day was started to raise awareness about heart disease being the number one killer of women. Tomorrow will mark 15 years since the 1st National Wear Red Day was observed. National Wear Red Day is held on the first Friday in February.

Since raising awareness many women have been making changes in their lives to be more heart conscience. Some of the strides they’ve made have included losing weight, increasing their exercise, making a healthy behavior change and checking cholesterol levels. Today, nearly 300 fewer women die from heart disease and stroke each day, and deaths in women have decreased by more than 30 percent over the past 10 years! Even though all of this progress has been made, 1 in 3 women still die of heart disease and stroke each year.

So what can you do besides wear RED tomorrow? Know your heart healthy numbers.

Risk factors you can* and cannot control

High blood pressure*

Diabetes*

Lack of regular activity*

Age

Gender

Heredity

Know your numbers

Total cholesterol

HDL cholesterol

Blood Pressure

Blood Sugar

Body Mass Index

Take Action

Manage blood pressure

Control cholesterol

Reduce blood sugar

Get active

Eat better

Lose weight

Stop smoking

If you would like to find out more information on each of the areas above, you can visit GoRedforWomen.org On their site you can take a risk factors quiz and learn more about the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke.

If you are lucky enough to have elderly parents, you know what a precious gift it is to have them. However, with this precious gift of time, there are some challenges that occur as they age and need your help. It is difficult when the roles of parent and child begin to shift and the children become the caregivers. One of the most complicated issues is when there is a need to take over your parents’ finances. Taking control can be awkward and complicated, but putting it off too long can make it very difficult to sort out all of their accounts and make the necessary legal steps to ensure your ability to successfully manage your parent’s money.

How do you know when it is time to step in? Watch for early signs that your parent’s cognitive ability is declining, and there is a need to step in and take control. If you wait too long, there’s a good chance that significant financial losses have occurred. Some of the signs to look for are:

They become forgetful about cash

They start getting calls from creditors

Their house is filled with expensive new purchases

They have difficulty with simple tasks like balancing their checkbook

Bills have been paid repeatedly or not paid at all

Bills that seem much higher than they should be and cannot be explained

Donations to charity that do not match your parents priorities

Raising the topic might be difficult. Older adults may be resistant to relinquishing control of their finances. They may see this as the first step of losing their independence, which is one of the top two concerns for older adults. Prepare to Care: A Planning Guide for Families from AARP gives helpful insight on how to start the conversation. They suggest:

Look for an opening: You might use an article you read about or something you saw in the news to raise the topic.

Size up the situation: Figuring out your loved one’s priorities help determine your next steps

Counter resistance: Your loved one might say, “I just don’t want to talk about it.” Some people are private by nature. If your first conversation does not go well, try again.

Managing your own finances can be challenging enough, and you aren’t excited about taking on the task of managing your parents finances as well. Addressing the topic can be awkward, but if no one steps in to help, the assets that your parents spent a lifetime accumulating could be lost.

Written by: Kathy Green, Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Clark County

For many people, the cold winter months bring an onset of what is described as the winter blues. The colder, darker winter months can cause a change in our moods and our behaviors. Some examples are sleeping more, becoming more irritable, eating more, and avoiding friends or social situations.

Dr. Emma Seppala, Science Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University and Co-Director of the Yale College Emotional Intelligence Project at Yale University, offers these tips for beating the winter blues:

CONNECT

One great way to connect to others in the winter months is to volunteer, at a shelter, a food bank, a nursing home, or at an after school program.

Another way is to stay active. Join a fitness class. Invite some friends to go on a walk or meet at a gym to shoot some hoops.

BREATHE

Practice mindfulness activities, like yoga or meditation, to help center your thoughts and help you to relax.

SAVOR

Be present in whatever activity you are engaged in. Turn off the cell phones and focus on where you are and who are you are with.

Curl up with your loved ones (spouse, childen, grandchildren) under a warm and cozy, blanket and read a book or watch a funny movie.

Eat healthier meals and take time to eat at a leisurely pace.

If you find that the winter blues are interfering with your daily activities for a period longer than two weeks, please consult your family physician or a mental health professional. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mood disorder that is categorized as a type of depression and occurs during months where individuals have less exposure to natural sunlight that can be treated with appropriate medical help.

Written By: Jami Dellifield, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Hardin County, Ohio State Extension, dellifield.2@osu.edu

Reviewed By: Pat Brinkman, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Fayette County, Ohio State University Extension, brinkman.93@osu.edu

Did you know that today is National Raspberry Cream Pie Day? Raspberries are abundant at this time of year. Raspberries- like many other fruits- are an excellent source of Vitamin C, manganese and fiber. They also contain the phytonutrient ellagic acid, a potential anti-cancer agent. They are an excellent source of soluble fiber and may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Raspberries also provide a slow release of carbohydrates into the blood stream. This fruit is very low in calories, providing just 64 calories per cup serving. Raspberries also provide 8 grams of fiber and 54% of the daily need for Vitamin C.

If you are looking for raspberries on this eventful day you may be surprised to find that a variety of colors from red to black to purple to yellow are all available. Raspberries should be bright, shiny, and uniform in color. Avoid ones that are dull and appear to have surface moisture, as moisture promotes decay. Handle this produce very gently to avoid bruising. Bruising shortens the life of the fruit and contributes to low quality. Berries are highly perishable; therefore, store fresh raspberries uncovered in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Gently rinse berries in cold water prior to use. Never soak berries in water. Be aware that raspberry shelf life is short so only buy what you can use. Plan to eat your berries within one to two days after purchase.

This time of year is always magical from a gardening perspective. Perennials and bulbs are blooming, greenhouses are open and neighbors are planting their annuals. Nothing brings us out of our winter blahs faster than the scent of hyacinths and lilacs or the beauty of daffodils and tulips. Did you know that flowers serve more than just an aesthetic purpose? They also can improve our overall well-being.

Planting or keeping flowers around the home and in the workplace greatly reduces a person’s stress levels. Natural aesthetic beauty is soothing to people, and planting ornamental flowers around the home environment is an excellent way to lower levels of stress and anxiety. People who keep flowers in and around their home feel happier, less stressed, and more relaxed. As a result of the positive energy they derive from the environment, the chances of suffering from stress-related depression are decreased as well. Overall, adding flowers to your home or work environment reduces your perceived stress levels and makes you feel more relaxed, secure, and happy. Flowers can help you achieve a more optimistic outlook on your life; bringing you both pleasing visual stimulation and an increase in your perceived happiness.

Having plants, going for a walk in the park, or even looking at a landscape poster can produce psychological benefits, reduce stress, and improve concentration. Flowers cut from the garden add a pop of color to the living areas in the home. Bringing potted plants into your work space helps improve productivity, as well as an increase in creativity and job satisfaction.

Don’t have a green thumb, struggling with some plants, or just beginning to plant? Want some creative tips for new projects? The National Gardening Association has tons of information to help you out. Allow the outdoors to bring out your natural beauty. Behold the powers of flowers!